Ocean Fishing Report, March 8

Terrence BergMarch 8, 2018

ROCKFISH OPENER, FRED HALLS SHOW: The rockfish season re-opener last Thursday was a boon for the Oxnard to Ventura landings, which had been mostly idle since the end of December. Overall, the activity on the rest of the coast has been scanty. Most landings have a large presence at The Fred Hall Show in Long Beach that started Wednesday this week and continues through Sunday. The Fred Hall Corona del Mar show will be March 22-25. (More info on the Hall shows at www.fredhall.com.) The ocean fishing activity will ramp up again toward the end of this month.

SAN DIEGO MOSTLY QUIET: With most of the San Diego fleet taking a break for this week’s Fred Hall Show at the Long Beach Convention Center, the number of boats running has been light. Overall, the rockfish re-opener has boosted scores with most half-day boats seeing three to five per angler, along with a few bass and sculpin. The yellowtail bite has been hit and miss at the Coronado Islands, but there have been some good scores over the past week.

San Diego out of Seaforth Sportfishing in San Diego had 18 anglers on its Monday full-day trip and landed 53 yellowtails. The Sunday trip with 25 anglers produced 27 yellowtail and 40 whitefish.

LOS ANGELES-ORANGE COUNTIES UPDATE: The half- and three-quarter-day fleet running out of landings in Los Angeles and Orange County have taken advantage of the reopening of the rockfish season, with most boats reporting from five to seven rockfish and assorted other bottom species – mostly sculpin, whitefish, and sheephead – that translate into a good scores overall for anglers on these trips. Some counts from various landings illustrated the point.

New Del Mar out of Marina del Rey Sportfishing had 33 anglers on its Tuesday half-day trip and landed 245 rockfish.

Sport King out of L.A. Waterfront Sportfishing in San Pedro had just six anglers on Monday’s three-quarter-day trip, but landed 42 red snapper, 29 whitefish, 13 sculpin, and three sheephead.

Monte Carlo out of 22nd Street Landing in San Pedro had 13 anglers on its Monday half-day and landed 51 rockfish, 36 red snapper, 48 whitefish, one sheephead, and one sculpin.

Enterprise out of Pierpoint Landing in Long Beach had 18 anglers on its Sunday half-day and landed limits of 180 rockfish, 156 whitefish, and 24 sculpin.

OXNARD TO VENTURA LANDINGS UPDATE: The rockfish season re-opener has been golden for anglers fishing on sportboats out of the northern landings from Oxnard on the north to Ventura on the south. There was also one flurry of white sea bass reported over the weekend. The scores from the different landings tell the story.

At Channel Islands Sportfishing in Oxnard, Gentleman had 48 anglers on its Tuesday three-quarter-day trip and had full limits of 480 rockfish. Aloha Spirit, with 23 anglers on its Tuesday full-day trip, returned with 230 rockfish, along with 78 whitefish, 58 sheephead, and eight lingcod. Even the half-day Speed Twin had 220 rockfish (limits) for its 22 anglers on a half-day boat along with a bonus lingcod.

At Sea Landing in Santa Barbara, Stardust had 16 anglers on its Tuesday three-quarter-day trip, and they landed 155 whitefish, 104 rockfish, 56 red snapper, four lingcod, and one sheephead. Coral Sea, also on a three-quarter-day trip with 25 anglers, also posted limits of bottom fish with 200 assorted rockfish and 50 red snapper making up the bag, along with 12 lingcod.

At Ventura Sportfishing in Ventura, Amigo was on a full-day trip Tuesday with 24 anglers and caught limits of 240 rockfish along with nine sheephead. The Monday trip with 20 anglers produced limits of 200 whitefish, 189 rockfish, eight sheephead, and three lingcod.

At Hook’s Landing in Ventura, New Hustler had 18 anglers on its Tuesday three-quarter-day trip, and they landed 93 whitefish, 89 rockfish, two bonito, two sheephead, and one calico bass. The Sunday overnight trip with 18 anglers produced limits of 180 rockfish, limits of 36 lingcod, and 10 whitefish. Outrider was on an overnight trip Saturday, and the 10 anglers on board landed three white sea bass, limits of 100 rockfish, 93 whitefish, and four lingcod. There haven’t been any sea bass reported since that trip, but limits of rockfish have been the rule.

INSTRUCTIONAL CHARTERS: 976-TUNA offers instructional charters throughout the season. These trips are held from early spring through fall, offering advice to beginning or veteran anglers and on-the-water teaching of techniques for different saltwater species. The next trip will be an overnight jaunt May 2 aboard Ultra out of San Pedro. The early booking price is just $245 (normal price is $295). Meals and permits are additional. For more information, check on www.976-TUNA.com or call 562-352-0012 for details.

YOUR FISHING REPORTS
Please feel free to send your freshwater or saltwater fishing reports and fishing photos to Jim Matthews, Outdoor News Service, at odwriter@verizon.net and the information will be included in the weekly report. If you have questions or comments, please call Matthews at 909-887-3444.